Traffic governor



Aug. 7, 1934. w WRNICK 1,969,286

TRAFFIC- GOVERNOR Filed July 14, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet l Ga .1966 --lv @Ho uw 1,1

w. woRNlcK TRAFFLC GOVERNOR Aug. 7, 1934.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 14, 1933 W. WORNICK TRAFFIC GOVERNOR l Aug. 7, 1934.

v 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 14, 1953 @Mta @mmc/ anormal) W. WORNICK ug. 7, 1934.f

TRAFFIC GVERNOR Filed July 14.` 193s 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gjm/vakken ZZZM @iQ/anic@ Patented Aug. 7, 1934 vvolaims.

over the road, and'for effectively blocking oithef saidrflow of trai'lic to prevent the consequent results of collisicnsbetween the approaching bodies and the roadtrac. o l o y The invention has for an object tovprovide means ordinarily disposedy below the span ofthe roadr surface lat pointsl -ofY periodic piange; to, the trahie Aover the said road, .said means'being` actu ated ,at apredeterminei time period before the 1 establishment of said danger to rise from its posif tion below the 'span oftheroa'd-to a position Well above the said span' to defiinitelyjblock,further trar'iic over theroad during the'existence of ,said danger and'b'e maintained fora predetermined j period after the reestablishment of a normal safe condition` during which the said'meansis returned 'to its .primary vposition, below the Mspan of the road surface. l Thus my invention may be put to ready use at points of juncture of railroad tracks and Vehicle roads or highways and serve lto gov ern and regulate the highway trafo withereference to the railroad traffic. l Y .1 Another object of my invention is IKto-provide a barrier orj highway trafic which,junder the normal condition ofjtraic onvsaid highway,is retained in a well, formedinlthegroadbed Otsaid highway, but which maybe raisediromgthe-said well upcn'a change of condition of trafc t0 Warn and sto-p the traic `overlthe 4highway until the normalcondition yhas been reestablished. The invention lends itself to city streets 1which are crossed vby.main arterial 'highwaysorV railroad right-of-ways andiseryes to prevent vehicular and pedestrian traiicgirorn ,endangering itself without theuse' of bulky :and unsightly Lswingf ingcantilever gates commonly known.V i l 1A particular object 'of my in'ventionjfis toppro- *Ji'de a metallic barrier adapted-tothe -reciprocated in andcurt of `a recess formed inthenro'ad;l together 45 with huid' operatedlrneans for lreciprocatinggthe barrier, the fluid operated means being controlled by` a suitable fluid pressure :motoriactuatedfiat points remote therefrom. i vThe invention has 'for a further particularobjectto iprovide.; ai `novel means rorifmaintaining zsaid. barrier ,in a lifted position comprising 4ialva'lve. operated gratie and sympathy with thesmotor an'dfhaving means yfor shunting .the'eld mediumzwhen the pressures developed inthe system exceed; that :required lto .'55 maintain the barrier ixrpositionfz y; Q-,.l,

(GLv 35i-JZ):

A still further particular object of tion-is'ipfprovidefthe Combination of ve a1 moving roadbalrier normal-.1 mainte-leegte the snaai-of; the road, Surface and hydremis forzliftingand lowering the barrier, saidrhy, means controlled at remote points .from the road; i. i: f

., The invention consists Y of .other featuresaifl advantages which will appeal imm.; theffQllQW 5; description and'upon texarninationof the d aW- o@ ings: .structures containing ,the invention er partake ofdifferentg-forms-and maylbe Variedin their detailsland still embody Vthe invention. To illustrate a practical application ofthe invention, Ihave selected a trani@ l'governor embodying the invention-as an-examplefogfthe variousistruo and details thereof that contain the invention and shall ldescribe the Selected structurehereinaften itbeinglunderstood that variations maybe triade without departing from the spirit of the nven; tion?. .Theparticular structurejselected is shown in theaccompanying,drawings. v Fia 1 ofthe drawings illustrates .ajyiewinperf spective or", an 4application of the intention Vto va railroad crossing; Fig. J2 illustrates fa Iview fof a partial,- end longitudinal section. Fig.3 illustrates .ai-view: of asection takenA along thegplaneof the l-ine-inindicated. iii-Figli* Fig. 4r illustrates ya. viewofa section taken along the samepl'ane as butfshowing the `governorfin barrier orm-4 .s ing position.V Fig. `5i1'lustratesa View of an SI1: larged .section of. one of rthe ,warning lamps scar.- ri`ed rby'the governor. Fig. -6. illustrates aviewlof asideeleyation of the motor means for driving the barrier; sFig. 'lvillnstrates a yplanyiewofgtlfie motorrmean's shown .in Fig. 6. Fig. Vrillustrates ani enlarged` view` of a section takensalongw the plane of the line 8--8 indicatedinliigfil... Fig. 9 illustrat'es'a View of vanfenlarged Ylongitudinal section =of thevalvecontrol-of the system;A Fig. 9o;

150 illustratesa View ofga section of amodification of.' the'walve control lof the system. Fig; 11 `illus-g trates vJaA :view .of 'af'sectionotfthe modiedifvalve operating.Pmechanism...r Fig.v 12f illustrates' dia-3 grammatically theelec'trical .circuitl I'of 1 the.: 1gov;AV loo eriior with the modified 1 alve and its operating mechanism.` f f Cantile-ver ysafety gates ,fof a; construction-well known the art, found their inception; inthe days of horse-drawn V'hicles where barrier .of a 10H5 niet@wooden-hormonen Wesel-If@ @otto-@pie tent horsetrmzattemptmg tapas@ i was the at'tention'of `the driver rutilizedkt-v accidentsb @also tl nslt'incty of 'th raleitsflftassisterend.@statewide at@ 1210 barrier and seldom attempted to pass beyond. With the advent of motor driven vehicles, the instinctive knowledge of an animal was no longer a contributive factor to safe tramc and, consequently, safe passage depended solely on the operators attention and good sense.

It has become increasingly apparent in View of the number of barriers crashed by motor driven vehicles and resultant collisions therefrom, that the operators attention and good sense cannot be solely depended on by society generally to maintain a safe traffic condition and, therefore, it becomes necessary to provide a barrier that, even though the operator should desire to pass through, it will be a practical impossibility. My invention provides such a barrier which, coupled with its safety features, has various other advantages among which are hidden retirement when not in use, automatic operationfpo'sitive performance and simplicityof design and consequent low cost.

An embodiment of my invention comprises a f metallic shell Vsuitably reinforced and of a dimension substantially equal to the width of the roadV to which 'it is to be applied. The shell is adapted to be reciprocated in a housing which extends transverse the roadbed and below the surface span of the road so that when the shell is raised it forms a distinct and impassable barrier, but when nested inthe housing forms a part of the road surface. At spaced points within the shell are connected the rams of a plurality of fluid operated pistons for raising the barrier. The cylinder of each piston is preferably fixed to the housing and is connected by suitable piping to av pump. f The pump is preferably driven by an electric motor controlled by any suitable manual switch or by switches tripped or closed by the movement of wheels over a track, as in the case of a railroad.

The system is designed and controlled so that the pump will perform its full duty and discharge a complete displacement before the fluid operated on is'placed under pressure and applied to the work of lifting the barrier, thus insuring quick and' positive performance and easy starting of the pump. This result is obtained by a control valve which is operated after the electrical motor for driving the pump has vattained a predetermined number of revolutions per unit of time. By providing a means for delayed performance of work by the fluid, I am able to use an electrical motor ofless rating and rtherefore'cheaper in cost Ito drive the pump than were the pump put to immediate labor on the first turnings of the motor. l'Ihe return of the barrier is effected by its own weight which also serves to vacate the fluid from the cylinders.

In the particular embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, for purposes of illustration, a shell 1, preferably formed of cast metal, is provided and operates, when in a raised position, as the traffic barrier `of the traffic governor. The shelll has an open bottom 2,.a face portion 3, and atop portion 5. The longitudinal dimension ofthe shell 1 issubstantially equal to the width of a road to which the governor is to be appliedjsuch as the road 4, shown in Fig. 1. The shell 1 is adapted to be reciprocated in and out of a well 6 formed in a'ihousing 7.

The housing 7 is preferablyV formed of cast metal and has exterior reinforcing webs or flanges Sijwhich form wall :recesses 9 into which the road-making materials of the road 4 may extend to form 4a suitable interlocking means between the housing and the roadbed. The upper edges 10 of the housing are located so as to be substantially flush with the road surface and form,

approximate common plane with that of the road surface.

If desired, the edges 10 of the housing may be rabbetted, as at 15, and a strip frame 16 may be removably socketed therein, as by the bolts 17, to form a guard against the infiltration of dirt into the well and between the shell and wellwalls, and also to form a guiding and bearing surface for the reciprocation of the shell with reference to the well. In order Yto further insure sealing of the well, the strip frame may have its inner edges faced with rubber, as shown at 18.

The shell 1 is caused to reciprocate with respect to the well 6 by a hydraulic means located at spaced points within the housing '7. In the preferred form, a cylinder 20 is supported at each end of the housing 7, each cylinder having'a vertically acting piston 21, of the well known construction, havingv a head 22 provided with piston rings 23 and a stem or shank 24. The shank 24 is tipped with a discular ram 25 which is socketed and connected, as by the bolts 26, to the under side of the top portion 5 of the shell 1'. It will be apparent, therefore, that with the introduction of a fluid medium, such as oil, below the face'of the piston head 22, the shell 1 will be raised out of the well 6. If desired, the shell 1v may be provided with shoulders 28 which act as limitingstops to the movement of the shell outwardly with respect to the well. The shoulders 28 are adapted to engage the frame 16 when the shell 1 is raised to its highest point.

Each cylinder 20 is supplied with oil by means of a pipe 30 and auxiliary elbow pipes 31 through orifices 32 formed in each cylinder wall. The oil is introduced to the pipe 30 from a reservoir 33 by means of a suitable twin cylinder pump 35 which acts through pipes 36 and 37 and pipe 38. The

pump 35 is driven preferably by a suitable electric motor 39, the circuit of which may be controlled by manually operated switches 42, or switches automatically operated by a train passing over a portion of a track of the railroad track 40, illustrated in 1Eig. 1, in a manner well known in the art.

The circuit of the fluid system from the reservoir 33 to the cylinders 20, comprises pump feed pipes 41, the pump 35, pipes 36 and 27, the pipe 33,

pipe 30, auxiliary elbow pipes 3l, the orifices 32 i and the cylinders' 20. In order to provide for andl carry off the overflow of the fluid medium in the cylinders '20, an overflow pipe 45 is connected through orifices 46 formed in the upper end of the wall of each of the cylinders20 with the resu ervoir' to thus carry off the excess or overflow fluid from the cylinders 20. The pump 35 may be likewise provided with voverflow valves 47 and ico connecting pipe line 49 which communicates with v the reservoir 33 to carry off excess and overflow quantities of the fluid mediumand return it to the reservoir for subsequent use. Y

In order to lower the shell 1 to its initial nesting position within the well 6, the circuit of the electric motor 39 is broken bythe switch 42, or

meedeed other' 'automatic switch 'ioperated by- '-thef'whe'elsf ofa train on the track-,ina mannerwell known'1 in' the art,` whereupon thel fluid, no longer iu'nder) pressure,\.V will be returned through theorices '-5 32,:auxi'liary'pipes 31 andsupply' pipe? 30 and-r trolv is provided-inthe! pipe f48so that a fluidipressure may -bebuilt .up the 'pipev llitoraise`A the shell llasy described. n My Ainvention providesI a valve 50, located in the' pipe line E48,. which is actuated to close afterf-thefpumphas performed a predetermined period of ztime, thus' permitting the use of a pumpfdriving. motor of a lower powerV` rating than wouldv ordinarily be requiredto overcome'the inertia" of thesystem-'andyat thesame time,H performthe .'work 4of 'lifting Athe shell.v The valver50'has ashell 51 and a valve seat 52; The' valveseat 52 has apassageway 53 thatis nori mally llocated in registration withthevalve inlet 54andout1et 55.V The seat' hasa centrally-boredportion 58 extending iacrossat substantially right anglestothepassageway 53 which is adapted to receive a plunger valvel member 59. The valve member 59 `isadapted vto be reciprocated within the b0r`edportion'58 Ato open and closeth'epassageway `53.`V VThe Valve memberv 59 extendsthrough the shell 51y and isl pivotally connected to one end. of a lever 60, as :by the pin and slot connection 61.. The lever 60 is'fulcrumedin a bracket 62 and has a'n eye 63 formed at the opposite end.Y By raising and lowering the eye 63 of the lever 60, the valve`-mernber 59 will vbe moved into valve closingvand opening `-p0sitions. Y l Y aY rod ZOy the end of` whichextends through the eye 63 -of the lever 'and' is` suitably corinected thereto by the washer member 65.` The rodv '70 'is slidably supported in a hollow shaft 71 which isrotatably supported iny aportionof the frame of the pump35.` `The shaft-71 is caused to rotate by a gear "73 keyed thereto whichV is located fin meshing Yrelation with a bevel gear'74 keyed toy the crank shaft 1"!5of theV pumpl 35. 1A p'air ofweght 'elements 76 are 'pivotallysupported as attrs, 'by links v7 on the end ofl the shaft '11 and teiidto' move away from the shaft withg'lan in ci; .from the lshaft 71n by reason of the centrifugal force-lexerted-fthereon;the yoke member 80 will be slidably moved upwardly along the shaft. The shaft 71 has a slot 83 which extends along the wall of the shaftA and parallel toits longil.'L'tudinal axis. A pin 85 connected to the rod 70 extends through the slot 83 and is adapted to be engaged by the yoke 80. Thus when the shaft 71 is caused to rotate at a determined velocity. the rod will be raised and the lever 60 moved 'ffii Li to close the valve 50, so that a fluid pressure will The lever 60 is caused-'to move Yby means of eierted onithfe shell ,fduri'ngl the period' of? opera-1i tion ofJthepux'np so as ito:I cause pressures of iiicreased magnitude to be builtpupinitheisystemf 95 passing of the fluid fin thevalve 50',.the.valve-fs'eatlI 52`vv is slida'blyfsupported'iim th'evalvewshell i511k and; isitmaintained'imposition;.ofrregistratiorieofj thef passageway 53' 'with `.thevalveinlety 54 andgoutlet.`

55 byja suitable springAQuLlfA passageway `qllxfis 100 formed `in theva'lve 'seat' proximate#toitlieznletL 54@ which Vcommunicateswither;chan1ber 92 formed,

. by the Avalve shell. and valve seat-.1.' vWhen-ia Ipressure in the s'ystem'is built up Athat issu'flicientwtoiv overcomethe biaisof thezsp'ring 90 andA the` maine: 105 taining effect ofthe-rod 70 throughithe levrf. and 'valve `memberi59, the valve seat 52;.tog`ether with thelvalv'e member `59,'vvill be moved inl the Valvev shell .51 to'fpe'rrnit'the fluid'vto zbyspass.-

aroundtlie valve seat5'2hfrorn the.pipeithroughiil lil the chamberi-92and outleti`55 toitheireser'voir 33;?V The Yvalve seat' 52fwill be maintainediinl 'a' :byfpa'ss' positionas long' as .theffaultfcontinuesio" exist our: the shell 1 and `aslongla's thepressu'refzi'nltherA Y system eirceedsl'the predetermined degree. 115

vIf desiredg aplurality of signal-1'am`ps95may.iA be" located in-ithe shell 1A andr be visible throughf. ports 96 `forrnediri theLface'portion-S ofthelshelli- The i lamps' 95 v may-'be :connected circuitbwith i* the switche's42 'andber'lighted-.uponfthe .initialiiili movement of theshell l preaching traflic...i-\

Y- Iff desired, a'valve'100,ishown ini-Figs. S10 and 1-1,r maybe substituted in the pipe4'8forfthevalve 50.= The valve 100 `has a .valveseat=101arida:valvel-I member -102 whichvv controlsthe?l passage ofi-.fluidi through the valve. Thef'f'valv'ememberrlOZisf pivotally connected toralbell.. crank 1043i." Their crankillfis operatively' 'connected to `Lal-rnovablef core 105of-asolen'o'icl'106;' 4I'lh'eic'oili lOIfOf theli-O solenoid 106. is c'onnectedi circuit-Thy!lines-1081 and 109 W'ththeimoto l391SO"tllldWllellfthe? switches 42are c losedtostart the m'otorgthe coila 107 will be ienergiz'edlto rotate the crank 104fandf` move the valve member 102-fteaf-closingfposition135:

with respect' to the valve l'seatgdn aflmanne'r well known in' the art. vIn' orderlto" effectari-opening? of the valve, a spring 110*isconnectedtoan'iarmi 111 of the crank loki'and,-` upon?openingofffthel' coil'circuit ,*operates tojreturnbthecrank 1'0Y its'norlial =-positiori;f1 openin'grthe valve-:1o

In order to by-pass fluid through the valve 1,00 when the Valve member 102 is in a closed po-I sition to prevent the establishment of high pressures in the system, as may be caused upon a failp93" ure of the shell to rise, the valve member 102 has a Shoulder portion 112 againstfwhich the impressed fluld may act to move the Valve member 102 away from its seat 101, thus permitting escape of the lfluid to the reservoir until the pressures in the iuid system are reduced lola desir' able safe degree. n

',I'claim:

1.7A ,traine governor:y for a "vel'iiclev roadway,

having in combination a roadbarrier, means for receiving the road barrier below thek surface of the roadway, means for raising the barrier above thesurface of; the roadway preliminary'to kthe establishmentofan unsafe traiiic condition over theA said vehiclerroadway comprising a plurality offvertical actuating cylinders, a pump iorfsup-y plyingv4 a iluidv to said. pluralityfof cylinders, va motor for driving the said pump, and means operated bythe said motor forcontroll-ing the iluid pressure'generatedby the saidppump andU transmitted to thesaid plurality of cylinders flependentjon the speed of operation of the, motor.

2. VA trailic governor forl a vehicle roadway:

havingv in'combination a road barrier, vmeans for receiving the roadbarrier below the surface of :the roadway, meansV for raising the barrier above the surfaceof theroadway preliminary toi the. establishmentl of an unsafe traflicjcondition over the'said vehicle roadway comprising a plurality of Ivertical actuating cylinders, a. pump;l

for supplying a fluid to said plurality of cylinders, a motor for driving the'said pump, andiineansvfor controlling the fluid pressuregenerated-.by the said motor and transmitted to the said plurality. of cylinders dependent on the speed of operation of the motor.

3. A trarc governor for a vehicle roadway having in combination av road barrier, means for receiving the road barrier below the surface. of.

theroadway, means for raising the barrier above the surface ofV the roadway preliminary to the establishment of an unsafe traffic condition over the said .vehicle roadway comprising a plurality of vertical actuating cylinders, a pump for supplying a ,fluid to said ,plurality of cylinders, a motor for driving the said pump, and.'` means for preventing'the establishment 'of a fluid pressure' between the pump and the cylinders until after thepump has operated at a predetermined period A of time at a predetermined rate of fluid delivery.

- 4. A traflic governorv for a vehicle roadway comprising a ,housing located below the surface of the said roadway and extending transverse thereof, a shell havingan open bottom portion, a well formed in the housing and adapted' to receive the shell, means for movingthe shell' outwardly with respect to the well and above theroadway surfa'ce'comprising a source of 'supply of iiuid,

a pump, means for driving the pump, a cylinder supported in the well and connectedto the 1: u1npd a piston slidablysupported inv the cylinder and connected tothe shell, a valve actuated 'gby the said. means `for drivingthe pump for controlling the fluid pressure generated bythe pump and'r transmitted to the cylinder.

f 5*.,n a trailic governor `for a vehicle roadway having in combination a roadY barrier, means for receiving the` road barrier below the surface of the roadway, means for raising the barrier above:- the 'surface ofA theroadway preliminary to the establishment of an unsafe traiic condition over the vsaid vehicleroadway oiiprisiiig plurality of Vertical actuating cylinders, a iiuid reservoir, a pump for supplying a fluid from the reservoir to thel said plurality of cylinders, a motory for rdriving the said pumpa valve locatedibetween the said reservoir and the'said plurality ,of cylin-V ders, means operable by the said motor for closing the ,valveA after a predetermined period of time, and `means locatedin the said 4valve and' reactant against the said valvegclosing means'for opening the valve Aduring over-load pressure conditions., v Y

, 6. In a tramo governor for Taf vehiclefroadway having in combination aroad barrier, means forV receiving the road barrier `below the surfaceA of the roadway, means for Vraising the barrier above thesurface of the roadway comprising a plurality of verticalactuating cylinders, ,auid reservoir, a pump for ,supplying auid from theres.-

lervoir to the said plurality of cylinders, a'motor' for driving the said pump, a valveilocated between the said reservoir and the said plurality of cylinders, the valve having ports connecting with the 'saidplurality of cylindersv and thesaid reservoir, a valve seat locatedin'the valvehaving a passageway in'registration with said valve ports, a valve closure member slideably supported in the .said valve and operated `by, the said motor to close the passageway for creating a uid pressure betweenthe said pump and the said plurality of'cylindersl after a predetermined period of time, and means formed'in the said valve for relievingover-load pressure conditions in the cylinders without variance of `the motorv speed. '7. in a traiiic governor for a vehicle roadway having yin combination a road barrier, meansv for receiving the road barrier below the surface of the roadway, means forv raising the barrier above the surface of the roadway comprising a plurality oi verticalactuating cylinders, a fluid reservoir a ypump `for supplying a liuid from the reservoir to the said pluralityof cylinders, a motor for driving the` said pump, a valve located between the saidreservoir and the said plurality of cylinders, a valve seat located in the valve and having a transverse passageway in registration with saidvalve ports, a valve closure member thefiuid through the said recessand from one to theother o i the said valve ports, thesaid valve seatfbeing movable against the; biasing meansto allow movementof said fluid through the recess duringthe existence of an ,o.verload pressure condition in ,thesaid plurality of cylinders;

wALrER WORNICK; 

